By Mario Solis Marich

Despite the Newsom's public bravado his team has recently begun to understand that their campaign may well be collateral damage to what is starting to appear to be a historic Southern California turnout in November of 2018.

While Newsom is not well known in Southern California, the usual projected turnout estimates would place him in good stead come November. Los Angeles County while much larger than San Francisco County has a tendency for lackluster voter participation which has consistently given Northern California candidates a boost. But 2018 is not a usual year, and the Newsom team knows it.

Voter participation in special elections held since Trump's Electoral College victory is up all over the country as the civic fervor ignited by the divisive President has become a citizen fever whose contagion has hit suburbs and barrios in epidemic proportions. While increased participation is wonderful news for democracy it is not great news for Newsom.

In a high voter turnout scenario, Latina/o voters make a huge difference in November's outcome, and Newsom's calculus for victory becomes obsolete. Newsom's chances of becoming Governor are greatly diminished if Villaraigosa is on the November ballot. Therefore the late arrival of Renteria as a Villaraigosa spoiler is the best gift that San Francisco's golden boy has received since the $400 pen he accepted from Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev.

The recent hurried and amateurish campaign announcement by Renteria indicates a lack of seriousness in this endeavor. Renetria's campaign video that was supposed to show her purpose for running was more of a homage to platitudes than a real rational. The Renteria web ad at one point instructs us that "warriors are witnesses that choose to feel responsible". The nonsensical rhetoric is delivered while footage shows a diverse group of Californians, (including a strange shot of anonymous hands with rainbow bracelets - are we to guess Gay/Lesbian?) and the obligatory soaring music. I guess we will hear Renteria speak about immigration, the state's homeless crisis, poverty, increasing rents, income inequality, and assaults on our way of life by the Trump administration in the videos sequel. Details will come later she tells us via Twitter. Right now Renteria wants us to know that she seeks "warriors".

The race that was at first seen to be Newsom's to win, then seen as a tight race leaning towards Villaraigosa has turned again, and today Newsom is enjoying his latest gift. The rich seem to get richer but California has a boom and bust history that should keep even the sons of wealth wary of tomorrow.